Detailed Description

Edward Thomas (1878-1917) was only thirty-nine when he was killed on active service in the First World War. During a concentrated period of just over two years prior to his death, Thomas produced the poetry for which he would become famous.  But while turning to poetry late in his short life, he had been a man-of-letters since the beginning of the century, churning out many volumes of prose in order to support his family.  These he considered hack-work, although a number of them are now regarded as characteristically fine writing in themselves.